HISD plans to give laptops to high school kids

Houston ISD officials announced Thursday that they are prepared to give students at up to 18 high schools their own laptops next school year, becoming among the first big-city districts to launch a one-to-one computing program.

“This is a way of transforming what and how we teach,” HISD Superintendent Terry Grier told the school board.

Grier first pitched his laptop idea to the public during his State of the Schools speech in February. His chief technology officer, Lenny Schad, confirmed to the school board Thursday that the district is ready to proceed with the first batch of high schools next school year, doling out the laptops to teachers first semester and giving them to students in January. Schad’s team is finishing up an analysis of the high schools to see exactly how many are technologically ready to get the laptops next year. The number won’t be more than 18, he said, emphasizing that the district doesn’t want to rush the roll-out.

Grier had previously said that the first-year of a laptop program could cost roughly $10 million. There was no talk of a specific price tag at the public school board meeting Thursday morning, but Schad said in a later interview that he expected the cost to be “in the neighborhood” of $10 million. He said he didn’t want to discuss price because the district was currently seeking bids.

5 Responses

Thank you for the inside scoop on the latest with the HISD laptop provision. I wanted to comment on 2 aspects of the HISD initiative and to give it a “thumbs up.” I am a 6th grade HISD teacher and I see firsthand the disparity in resources (not ability) between high and low-income students. When the 10 million dollar price tag is mentioned, it is easy to forget this isn’t about instantly increasing test scores and performance, it is about giving students equal opportunity to reach their academic potential. Your article wonderfully captured this tension. The second thing I wanted to comment on is the $75 annual fee. My first concern when reading the article was that students would be more likely to abuse the privilege of having this expensive gear when they did not have to invest anything into it beforehand. However, after reading on, I believe this annual price tag is steep, yet manageable enough to communicate its value and create in student accountability. Again, thumbs up to HISD for making a statement for the importance of educational equity.

ANOTHER BAD IDEA TO GIVE LAPTOPS TO THE POOR AND ILLEGALS THAT WE CANNOT AFFORD. WHO IN THIS ECONOMY COMES UP WITH THESE “MARVELOUS” IDEAS?? VERY WELL MAY BE THE BUYERS AND SELLERS OF LAPTOPS. PROBABLY THE SAME MENTALITY AS THOSE WHO DECIDED TO GIVE CELL PHONES TO ALL THE SO CALLED “NEEDY”.

Can you elaborate as to why you believe this is not a great idea? Your statement of “poor and illegals” is also interesting. Can you articulate your connection between the two? I can only make assumptions that ignorant from the opinion that you stated, so in order to understand your view I’d like to hear more.

in response to your request, please accept the following. No, I am not ignorant nor am I ignorant of the facts. Those who can afford them already have laptops so there is no need for them. That leaves those who cannot afford them as the “needy”. The same is true of the “cell phone Program” which has been found to be abused criminally to the tune of over a billion dollars of tax-payer monies annually. Since I have no intention of responding to you again, let me add further that I am not bigeted as you might suggest nor am I a republican and certainly not a democrat as well. Just an old soldier from WW11 who is sick and tired of what is going on in this great country and the lack of morality and fiscal responsibility.